There are three sensors mounted on the UAV that are used for sensor fusion. An Ouster OS1-16 high-resolution LiDAR sensor is used in combination with Cartographer SLAM [1]} to provide pose measurements. Previous research [2]} has shown that Cartographer SLAM can be used as a pose sensor for UAV localization and stabilization in outdoor environments. In addition, LiDAR SLAM is also capable of producing high quality environment maps that are useful for obstacle navigation, interaction with the environment etc. especially when combined with a robust state estimation system to stabilize the UAV. The second sensor is the Pozyx UWB positioning system, the only sensor used that does not accumulate drift. The third sensor used is an Intel RealSense T265 camera that provides VIO information. The visual SLAM runs directly on the camera, freeing up some of the computing power for the on-board computer.
